Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually inaugurated three Param Rudra supercomputers and high-performance computing (HPC) systems for weather and climate research on Thursday. These supercomputers were developed in India under the National Supercomputing Mission (NSM).
These three Param Rudra supercomputing systems, valued at approximately Rs 130 crore, will be deployed in Pune, Delhi, and Kolkata to support high-performance scientific research and development.
In his address during the virtual event, the Prime Minister stressed the importance of computing capacity in the country, stating that it has become synonymous with national capability in the 21st century.
“With the Param Rudra supercomputers and HPC system, India takes significant steps towards self-reliance in computing and driving innovation in science and technology. In the era of the digital revolution, computing capacity is becoming synonymous with national capability,” said the Prime Minister. He also noted the direct dependence on science, technology, and computing capabilities for opportunities in research, economic growth, and other domains.
He also inaugurated ‘Arka’ and ‘Arunika,’ high-performance computing systems tailored for weather and climate research, and interacted with scientists and researchers involved in the development of the computing infrastructure.
Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw was also virtually present during the inauguration.
The Giant Meterwave Radio Telescope (GMRT) in Pune will leverage the supercomputer for research on fast radio bursts (FRBs) and other astrophysical phenomena.
In Delhi, the Inter-University Accelerator Centre will focus on advancing research in physical sciences and nuclear physics, while the S N Bose Centre in Kolkata will use it for advanced courses in physics, cosmology, and earth sciences.
Further, the HPC system tailored for weather and climate research is launched under a total project cost of Rs 850 crore and is located at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) in Pune and the National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF) in Noida.
These high-resolution models are expected to enhance the accuracy and lead time of predictions related to tropical cyclones, heavy precipitation, thunderstorms, hailstorms, heatwaves, droughts, and other critical weather phenomena.
First Published: Sep 26 2024 | 8:32 PM IST
